An old ritual which sees family members remove their late loved ones from their tomb each year to redress them has interested and confused people for decades.
The Toraja Death Rituals, named after the indigenous Indonesian tribe known as the Torajans, are considered their biggest celebration of life, with the belief a link between life and death is infinite.
In the Torajan culture death is considered the most important aspect of life and as a result their burial rituals can sometimes take years.
The body of a deceased loved one is kept in the family home and honoured at all times by those left behind.
In recent years mummification has become common place for preserving the body.
The family may take months or even years to go through the mourning process and prepare for the burial.
But after burial, the family will return to their loved ones tomb each August for the Ma'Nene Festival.
Traditionally the deceased are buried in hollowed out caves are retrieved by family to 'cleanse the corpse' every 12 months.
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The corpse is removed from the tomb, cleansed, redressed and then moved around and interacted with as if still alive.
Among the tribe it is considered a 'second funeral' and often they will re-inter the corpse with items such as money, cigarettes and new clothes.
Head of the Torajan branch of AMAN Eric Crystal Rante Allo told The Sydney Morning Herald while it might seem strange to outsiders, it is a key part of the culture.
'Toraja people believe the spirit of the dead lives among us, the living, looking out for us, blessing us,' he said.
'That's why, before the ritual of the burial is performed, they are called to'makula, or just sick, not yet dead. Toraja's people highly respect their dead.'
Visitors are welcome to visit the area during the ritual month of August and are encouraged to take part in the festivities.
This article has been adapted from its original source.
